The Philadelphia Flyers and 10 Playoff Hopefuls with Questionable Goaltending

“Defense wins championships.”

This is a mantra that almost every sport adheres to: The notion that it is protecting one’s own zone—not attacking an opponent’s—that determines a victor when the going gets tough.

In hockey, defense starts with goaltending, and few teams can find success without a reliable presence in net.

Superstar netminders like Patrick Roy and Martin Brodeur have faced their most grueling tests in the playoffs, and once-average goaltenders like Marc-Andre Fleury and Tim Thomas achieved elite status by performing on the big stage.

No team in the league questions the value of goaltending this time of year, but not every team with big playoff dreams has the most capable player wearing the pads.

The Philadelphia Flyers are notorious for their questions in the crease, but they are not the only team whose lofty playoff goals could be spoiled by a problematic netminder.

Toronto Maple Leafs

The Leafs have not qualified for the playoffs since 2004, and for a fan base as passionate as Toronto’s, a revitalization of the team is long awaited.

This year, the Leafs have one of hockey’s best duos in Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul, and they are battling their way through the Northeast Division to grab a playoff spot.

However, their goaltending could hold them back in their attempt to return to the postseason.

While Jonas Gustavsson has started three more games, Toronto’s go-to guy is James Reimer, who put Toronto back on the NHL map with a stellar rookie season last year.

Reimer’s sophomore campaign has only yielded a .906 SV%, making him a less-than-reliable solution in net.

For now, the Maple Leafs will use their potent offense to win games, but when the going gets tough, don’t expect Toronto to be going anywhere.

Tampa Bay Lightning

At the moment, the former Eastern Conference finalists are on the outside looking in, but any team with Steven Stamkos, Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier on offense is a contender for a playoff spot—particularly in the weak Southeast Division.

What’s holding back this corps of offensive juggernauts? One of the most atrocious goaltending situations in the league—that’s what.

Last year’s hero, Dwayne Roloson, finds himself in the backup role with a GAA of 3.62.

Starter Mathieu Garon isn’t much of a relief, with a GAA of 2.89 and a SV% of .902. Between the two of them, Garon and Roloson are making opposing forwards look like Steven Stamkos out there on the ice.

It doesn’t take much to beat these goalies, and it doesn’t take much to beat this team.

Phoenix Coyotes

The Coyotes are attempting a third consecutive playoff appearance despite a total lack of interest in the city, and Mike Smith has not been a disappointment.

The former Bolt has a SV% of .925% and a GAA of 2.33, despite the team’s overall struggles this season.

However, the Coyotes are used to great regular season goaltending.

Former netminder Ilya Bryzgalov had a SV% of .920% and .921%, and GAAs of 2.29 and 2.48 in 2009-10 and 2010-11 respectively.

Come playoff time, the seemingly elite goaltender’s stats changed dramatically, going to .906 SV% and 3.44 GAA in 2010, and .879 SV% and 4.36 GAA in 2011.

Both times, the Coyotes faced the ultimate playoff team, the Detroit Red Wings, and lost.

At this juncture, the eighth-ranked ‘Yotes would face the Wings again in the playoffs, and for that reason, whatever bets you had on Mike Smith are off.

Keeping pucks out of the net will be a problem for Phoenix.

Ottawa Senators

The Ottawa Senators are one of hockey’s biggest surprises this season, sitting second in the Northeast Division and in good position for a playoff spot.

The team has achieved success despite a lack of dependability in net, with starter Craig Anderson posting numbers (.908 SV%, 3.01 GAA) that put pressure on the rest of the team to pull out wins.

Anderson’s job is only safe because backup Alex Auld has made no concerted effort to steal the starting role.

The Sens are truly succeeding in spite of their goaltending, but when faced with tougher opponents, Anderson will need to either rise to the task or start planning his summer vacation.

Colorado Avalanche

Currently three points out of a playoff spot, the Colorado Avalanche franchise is striving for a quick turnaround after last year’s dismal 68 point season.

The Avs’ biggest obstacle appears to be in net, as newly-acquired former Capital Semyon Varlamov has underperformed with a GAA of 3.00 and a SV% of .899%.

He lost the starting role to Jean-Sebastien Giguere, who is looking to recapture the playoff glory of his years with the Anaheim Ducks and the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (same franchise, different name).

Varlamov has not been bad in the playoffs in his young career, but his lack of development is discouraging for the Avalanche.

J.S. Giguere holds the rare distinction of having won a Conn Smythe as a member of the losing team with the 2003 Ducks (of Anaheim), but his playoff record has been far from consistent.

In four playoff seasons, Giguere has SV% figures that read .945%, .864%, .922% and .898%. His GAAs are equally perplexing, coming in at 1.62, 3.40, 1.97 and 3.18.

With an inexperienced corps of players relying on this inconsistent goaltending tandem, it’s hard to see the Avs making it out of the first round of the playoffs.

New Jersey Devils

The phrases “Martin Brodeur” and “playoff questions” have never really gone hand-in-hand.

New Jersey’s greatest goalie has won three Stanley Cups with the team and has made a case for being considered the greatest goaltender of all time.

But, even the world’s best players turn 40, something Marty would do in the middle of a playoff run this season, should the Devils make it that far.

Finally, Brodeur has started to show his age.

The last time he was in the playoffs (almost two years ago), Brodeur’s GAA exceeded 3.00 for only the second time in his playoff career, and his SV% was the second-lowest of his career.

Backup Johan Hedberg is barely younger than Brodeur, so hockey fans must question New Jersey’s ability to sustain a consistent defensive showing over a grueling playoff run.

A betting man would rarely pick against Brodeur in these circumstances, but Father Time may be winning this battle.

Washington Capitals

In the Bruce Boudreau days, the Capitals used their unstoppable offense to dominate the regular season before being stifled in the playoffs and exiting with no real impact.

This year, with the signing of Tomas Vokoun, Washington attempted to make a statement that it was building a team from the goal line forward, hoping to become a beacon of defensive ability in the league.

The result: the Caps are merely average defensively, giving up 160 goals thus far, and the limitations on offense could make for a sloppy postseason.

Vokoun, while capable in the regular season, has only 11 games of playoff experience, winning only three.

Washington’s goaltending issue was never a factor in the regular season. Therefore, the inexperienced and aging Vokoun presents a huge problem when it comes to postseason performance.

Vancouver Canucks

Having allowed only 139 goals in 56 games this season, the Vancouver Canucks appear to be in good shape, defensively.

Starting netminder Roberto Luongo has been impressive this season, fending off an equally-impressive performance by Cory Schneider, who is waiting in the wings for his chance to start.

However, one must keep in mind that this is the Vancouver Canucks, and goaltending in important games will always be an issue.

Keep in mind, Luongo allowed as many goals in Game 3 of last year’s Stanley Cup Final as opponent Tim Thomas did the entire series (eight).

Of course, this same Luongo also racked up two shutouts in Vancouver’s three wins, so unpredictability seems to be the name of the game.

When the Canucks begin facing teams like the Red Wings, Blues, Predators or Kings—who all have very reliable netminders—they may find themselves at the mercy of a showdown between the goalies.

Unfortunately for Vancouver, it seems that Luongo blinks first, every time.

Chicago Blackhawks

The theme of this article is “defense wins championships,” and it is also the only thing standing between the Blackhawks and an easy shot at the Stanley Cup.

With a roster featuring an explosive cast of newcomers playing alongside the likes of Duncan Keith, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, there’s no telling where the ‘Hawks will stop.

Except, of course, when they need to stop the puck.

Goaltending has plagued Chicago since their surprising Cup-winner, Antti Niemi, left town due to arbitration issues.

Now, Corey Crawford has hit a wall in his development, and backup Ray Emery is making little progress in his assimilation back into the NHL.

Crawford’s 2.99 GAA and .898 SV% is an indicator that, as soon as the team’s potent offense takes an important night off, Chicago will be headed to the golf courses early.

Philadelphia Flyers

Last season, the Philadelphia Flyers managed to start—and pull—three different goalies in the first round of the playoffs.

It's a feat that can only be summed up as the epitome of desperation in the postseason.

The Flyers needed an answer in net, and they paid $51 million for a shot at it in the form of Ilya Bryzgalov.

Of course, Bryzgalov has struggled to keep his GAA below 3.00 and his SV% above .900 this season, and if history has taught us anything, it’s that Bryz’s best games are played before things get tough.

If Holmgren’s answer to the goaltending problem is a player who hasn’t managed four playoff wins since 2006, and a guy who apparently feels like his opponents are shooting into a soccer net, then Philadelphia is in trouble.

Unless the team’s potent offense can mask another mediocre selection in net, Ilya Bryzgalov will have all summer to ponder his place in the universe, while Flyers management ponders his place on the depth chart.

Dan Kelley is a Featured Columnist on Bleacher Report. For NHL and Flyers commentary, follow him on Twitter @dxkelley